The 63rd Greater Horn of Africa Climate Outlook Forum (GHACOF 63) for the March to May (MAM) 2023 season
“Celebrating 25 Years of GHACOF”
IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC), in collaboration with partners, is organizing the 63rd Greater Horn of Africa Climate Outlook Forum (GHACOF 63) for the March to May (MAM) 2023 season on 22nd February 2023 in Nairobi, Kenya.
The forum will be held in a hybrid format (both in person and virtually) and within the framework of IGAD’s Regional Strategy for Mainstreaming Climate Services in Key Socio-Economic Sectors for Sustainable Development.
This year marks the celebration of 25 years since the launch of the first GHACOF under the theme: "Early warning for crisis management”.
The forum brings together climate scientists, researchers, users from key socio-economic sectors, governmental and non-governmental organizations, development partners, decision-makers, media, and civil society stakeholders. It will be preceded by the climate prediction development workshop organized at ICPAC on 14th -18th February 2023 and by co-production workshops with key sectors (agriculture, water, energy, health, livestock, and disaster risk management) on 20-21st February 2023.
The main objectives of the forum are to:
- Reflect on the performance and impacts of the October to December (OND) 2022 season.
- Present the consolidated objective regional climate outlook for the MAM 2023 season.
- Discuss the implications of the MAM 2023 climate forecast and management strategies.
- Provide a regional interaction platform for decision makers, climate scientists, research. scientists, users of climate information, and development partners.
- Release the outcomes of the forum and the GHACOF 63 statement.
Key stakeholders include the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) of Eastern Africa (Institut Géographique du Burundi, Agence Météorologique Nationale de Djibouti, Eritrea Meteorological Service, Ethiopia Meteorological Institute, Kenya Meteorological Department, Rwanda Meteorological Agency, South Sudan Meteorological Service, Sudan Meteorological Authority, Somalia Meteorological Service, Tanzania Meteorological Authority, and Uganda National Meteorological Authority) as well as partner organizations such as the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), the European Union, and the Organisation of the Africa, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (OACPS).
The working language for the forum is English.
